Park Avenue United Methodist Church Childcare Guide

If your event requires childcare, you MUST reserve space for the childcare in addition to reserving space for your event. Please check the following days and times to see which space is available for childcare during your event.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 4&5 Year Old Room and Craft/Snack Room in the Children’s Village Lower Level.

Tuesday and Thursday business hours: No space available for childcare.

NOTE: The Childcare Rooms can only be used for childcare for children 6 years and younger. The toys and space are not designed to accommodate older children. The Early Childhood Rooms and the 4&5 Year Old Room are the ONLY spaces available for childcare.

Each ministry is responsible for scheduling its own childcare workers. Children’s Ministry cannot schedule a worker for you.

All childcare workers must have completed both sections of the “Safeguarding God’s Children” training (For Parents and Congregations, and For Ministers).

All childcare workers must have a recent (within the last 12 months) background check on file with Park Avenue UMC or Park Avenue Youth and Family Services.

Names of childcare workers must be submitted to Katie Matson-Daley 3 weeks in advance of your event so that the individual can be cross-checked on training completion and current background check.

If the childcare worker needs a new background check, your ministry area will be charged for the background check. (Costs range from $6 – $25 depending on aliases, number of addresses and other factors.

We require a minimum of two workers.

Park Avenue’s worker-to-child ratios are:

2. Schedule childcare workers

Age

Worker-to-Child Ratio

Birth – 1 year

1:2

1-2 ½ years

1:3

2 ½ -3 years

1:5

4-5 years

1:6

6-14 years

1:8

At least one childcare worker must be 18 years of age or older. The second may be a youth but must be at least 14 years of age.

3. Have a safe childcare session

All childcare workers event should be aware of the following responsibilities and policies.

Before the session:

Serve only if you are healthy. Childcare workers cannot serve if they are sick.

Show up at least 10 minutes before the session starts.

Have sign-in sheets ready.

Bring pagers to your childcare location from the early childhood reception area.

Do a quick sweep of the room. Check to make sure that the room is safe, garbage is out, tables are clean, and all hazards are put away.

Greet families and help them sign in. You must have a record of who was in your session.

Be sure to ask the parent or guardian if the child has any special needs/allergies.

Children’s Ministry does not provide snacks for childcare. If you want to serve a snack please provide one. Here is a list of approved (low allergenic, low choking risk, low sensitivity risk foods).

Cheerios

Chex cereal (any flavor but Honey Nut – due to nut allergens)

Animal crackers

Wheat Thins

Honey Maid Graham crackers

When a child needs to use the restroom, a female caregiver should take that child to the restroom. They should be accompanied by a second child of the same gender or, if no other child of the same gender is in the childcare room, by a second child of the opposite gender.

Do NOT change diapers. If a diaper needs to be changed, you must contact the parent or guardian.

Do NOT administer any medications.

Children who have any of the following should not be admitted into childcare:

Fever within the previous 24 hours

An undiagnosed or contagious rash

Red, swollen, or crusty eyes

Thick green nasal discharge

Diarrhea/Vomiting

Severe cough

Any other obvious signs of illness

Put any toys that children put in or near their mouth in the sink to be washed. Wash with dish soap and leave to air dry.

· When a child needs to use the restroom, a female caregiver should take that child to the restroom. They should be accompanied by a second child of the same gender or, if no other child of the same gender is in the childcare room, by a second child of the opposite gender.

· Do NOT change diapers. If a diaper needs to be changed, you must contact the parent or guardian.

· Do NOT administer any medications.

· Children who have any of the following should not be admitted into childcare:

· Fever within the previous 24 hours

· An undiagnosed or contagious rash

· Red, swollen, or crusty eyes

· Thick green nasal discharge

· Diarrhea/Vomiting

· Severe cough

· Any other obvious signs of illness

· Put any toys that children put in or near their mouth in the sink to be washed. Wash with dish soap and leave to air dry.

After the session:

§ Wash any toys that have been “mouthed.”

§ Wipe down all tables used with disinfecting wipes.

§ Empty trash containers and take out trash.

§ Turn sign in sheet to Katie Matson-Daley’s mail folder in the office.